Evaluation and Use of Journal Articles

Why use journal articles?

• Current up to date information
• Subject specific forums for discussion

Types of Journals

Popular	Trade	Scholarly
Eye catching, glossy, use of colour Aimed at non-professionals Large amounts of advertising Illustrated No bibliographies Staff writers, may be unsigned	Aimed at a specific audience, often business related Promote new products or techniques Staff and contributing authors May have short bibliographies Some advertising, related areas	Less glossy, less colour Aimed at researchers and professionals Information about current research Contributing authors, often peer reviewed or refereed Bibliographies Few advertisements
The Bulletin Who weekly Reader’s Digest	New Scientist Psychology today	Journal of Food and Nutrition Nature Ecos

Consider the following when evaluating: PABACCOBI

What is the purpose of the article?

• To persuade you to a viewpoint?
• To prove a theory?
• To inform about new information

Who is the intended audience?

• General population
• School children
• University students
• Professionals or specialists
• Scholars or researchers

Is there bias?

• Conservative/left wing
• Alternative press
• Political or action group
• Sponsored research

Authority of the author

• Who is the author
• Is he/she recognised in field
• What else have they published

Currency of the article

• Is it up-to-date
• Timeless
• Out of date

What is the coverage of the article?

• Is it a comprehensive summary of the field
• Partial
• Overview

How is the article organised?

• Is it focussed and easy to follow
• Is the argument clearly presented
• Is this original research, a review of previous research or informative

Is a bibliography included?

• Is it easily understood
• Short or long
• Primary or secondary sources

Illustrations

• Do they assist the reader’s understanding
• Are they relevant to the article

How to find journal articles

	Periodicals	Newspapers
State Library of Victoria	Register as a user of their Online databases
Library
Internet	Journal websites Internet Public Library	Newspaper websites Internet Public Library

How to Evaluate Journal Articles

[Detailed version of How to Evaluate Journal Articles]

To evaluate a journal article look for:

• Purpose of Article: Why was the article written? To: persuade the reader to do something? inform the reader? prove something?
• Type of Journal: For college-level term papers, information should be obtained mostly from scholarly journals. See also Evaluation Clues for Articles Taken from the Web
• Organization and Content: Is the material organized and focused? Is the argument or presentation understandable? Is this original research, a review of previous research, or an informative piece?
• **Bias** (of the publisher)

• Date of Article

• Bibliography

• Usefulness: Is the article relevant to the current research project?

• Authority/author: Is the author an expert in this field? Where is the author employed? What else has he/she written? Has he/she won awards or honors?

• Coverage: Does the article cover the topic comprehensively, partially, or is it an overview?

• Audience: For what type of reader is the author writing?

• Illustrations: Are charts, graphs, maps, photographs, etc. used to illustrate concepts? Are the illustrations relevant? Are they clear and professional-looking?

Colorado State University

Colorado State University Libraries